Winter Blues
by missdallywinston
Summary: Aria is sick and Ezra is the only person around to help her. Fluffy Ezria one shot.


As Aria Montgomery pulled out another tissue from a Kleenex box, she cursed under her breath. Of course, right when school let out for winter break, she got extremely ill. Every few hours she would throw up, she had a fever from hell, and her nose would not stop running. And to top it off, she was all alone.

All her friends were on vacation, having fun with their time off from school. Ella was back in Austria with Zack, Byron was in Syracuse as always, and Mike went on a skiing trip with friends. Everyone was off living their lives while Aria was seemingly coughing her guts out. The only positive thing that came out of this was that she got the TV to herself, but it still hardly made up for it.

It wasn't like she needed someone to watch over her, but it would have been nice to have company. She had been alone, stuck in her house, for about a day now and she was starting to get lonely. And it also would have been nice for someone to clean up the puke on the rug. Aria had been too sick to clean it herself and threw a handful of paper towels over it.

Sighing, Aria shoved another cough drop in her mouth and continued to watch television and sulk. A few minutes later, however, she heard a knock on her door. Aria furrowed her brow, wondering who it could be, before assuming it was probably the mail man or something.

Aria reluctantly tossed the piles of blankets she had on her to the side and got up to answer the door. But, when she opened it, it was definitely _not _the mail man. It was Ezra.

They hadn't talked much since he got back from the hospital. They talked once about Shana and New York, and she and the girls also met with him a few times to discuss A, but Aria and Ezra never once talked about _them_.

Aria knew Ezra wanted her back, especially since he sacrificed his own life a couple of weeks ago to show it. Whenever they did talk, he always seemed like he wanted to say more, but he seemed too discouraged to, so all he had said were a few "sorry's."

She didn't know what to do about them. Aria hated to admit it and she had yet to say it out loud, but she missed him like crazy. She missed curling up beside him in their bed while watching movies, she missed having him be there for her at any given time, she missed listening to him as he read to her, and boy, did she miss kissing him.

Ezra stuttered, "Um, Emily called me. She, uh, she said that you were sick and was wondering if I could check on you."

Aria was slightly touched that he would go check on her, see if she was okay, but refused to show it. All Aria did was leave the door open and walk back inside. Ezra stepped in the house behind her and closed the door, waiting for Aria to say something.

"I don't need a baby sitter," Aria said, rolling her eyes as she laid back down on the couch.

"I know," Ezra assured, "but if you're as sick as Emily said, I don't think you should be by yourself." Aria just sighed and grabbed another tissue. Ezra tentatively stepped closer to her and shrugged. "Aria, I can leave if you want. I just wanted to see if you're okay."

Aria noticed the dejected tone in his voice. Truth was, she didn't want him to leave. She had wanted company and Ezra, even in spite of recent events, was pretty good company to her. Nevertheless, she stayed difficult and fibbed, "I'm fine."

Ezra reached out to put his hand on her forehead, but Aria swatted him away. "What are you doing?"

"I'm checking your temperature," Ezra replied, a smirk tugging up the ends of his mouth. Aria relaxed a bit and Ezra placed his hand on her forehead. "Aria, you are not fine. You're burning up."

Rolling her eyes, she moved his hand away from her face. "Thank you, Ezra, I wasn't aware of that."

Ezra just took a deep breath and offered, "Can I get you anything?"

"My mom left me soup in the fridge," Aria told him. She paused and coughed a little. "Can you heat it up for me?"

"Sure," Ezra nodded, smiling ever so slightly at Aria letting him take care of her. When Emily had called him, asking him to go check on her, he jumped at the chance. He missed Aria like crazy and assumed she was in need of anyone's help. "Anything else? Any… medicine or anything?"

"Oh, yeah, actually," Aria remembered. "Um, I haven't been able to pick up my medicine at the pharmacy. Can you go pick it up, please?"

XXXX

About half an hour later, Ezra returned to Aria's house with her medicine and some food her got her. He knocked, but got no answer. Ezra pulled out a key that Aria had given him months ago to her house and opened it himself, hoping she wouldn't mind.

Once he stepped inside, he saw Aria, fast asleep on the couch. She looked so peaceful. Ezra smiled to himself and closed the door. He sat down in a chair across from her and watched as she breathed in and out. He missed watching her sleep. She always looked so innocent, so… okay.

He knew he screwed up, he knew he broke her heart, but there wasn't one day he didn't regret it. Knowing that a part of her hated him was absolutely killing him. He wished he could go back, go back and fix everything he had ever done wrong, which sadly was a lot.

She deserved better. Aria deserved way better than he could ever give her, but he couldn't let her go. He couldn't let Aria officially leave him and he knew that he could never live with himself if he didn't at least try.

After sitting for a few minutes, internally debating how he'll win Aria back, he glanced at the mess in her living room. There were at least thirty-two used tissues on the floor next to Aria and a pile of paper towels a few feet away.

Ezra sighed and stood back up, deciding to clean up so she wouldn't have to. He went to the kitchen, grabbed a trash bag, before returning to the living room and ridding the floor of Kleenex. As he shoved crumpled tissue after crumpled tissue into the bag, he laughed to himself, guessing that he would get sick pretty soon after this.

After the tissues, he cautiously walked towards the pile of towels and wondered what on earth was underneath. Lifting the paper towels, he sighed, realizing it was vomit. Nevertheless, he went and found some sponges and cleaning supplies before tidying up.

A few minutes later, Aria woke up and watched as Ezra scrubbed the rug. She was confused, as to what he was doing, before remembering how she had thrown up there. Aria also glanced down at the floor beside her and noticed that all her used tissues were gone.

"You don't have to clean that," Aria mumbled, getting his attention.

Ezra got off his knees and turned, shrugging up one shoulder. "It's fine. You shouldn't have to clean it and… I don't mind, really." Aria just grinned meekly before Ezra motioned towards the bag on the table. "I got your medicine and some food, in case you were hungry."

"I'm starving, but considering what happened the last time I ate real food," Aria paused, motioning towards the halfway scrubbed bile on the floor, "I don't think it's a good idea."

"Well, I got crackers too," Ezra said, dumping the contents of the shopping bag on the table. "Crackers, ginger ale, more soup… all of those should be okay to eat."

"You didn't have to do that," Aria sighed. "Ezra, you didn't have to do _any _of this."

"I wanted to," Ezra replied simply.

Without missing a beat, Aria shot back, "Why?"

Ezra looked away from her and slumped his shoulders. "Just because we aren't together doesn't mean I don't care. Aria, I care about you more than anything, you know that."

And she did. She doubted it after she found out about the book, but after the night in Manhattan, she knew he loved her. She knew he really would do anything for her.

"I know," Aria whispered. "I know you do, but…"

Ezra grew frustrated and just wished she could allow him to care for her. "But what?! I am trying here, Aria. I know I screwed up, I know you hate me, but please, _please_ let me do what I can. I-I know I can't do a lot and I know I can't make up for everything, but just let me care about you."

Aria gaped at him like a fish out of water and wrapped her blanket tighter around her shoulders. She was surprised at his outburst, but understood. Their gazes remained locked and Aria was at a loss of words. She knew he was trying, she knew he was doing what he could, but had no idea what to say to him. Finally, Aria mumbled, barely above a whisper, "I don't, I don't hate you."

Breathing out deeply, Ezra took a seat next to her on the couch. "Aria…"

"I'm mad," Aria interrupted, "at you, at myself…and I'm confused and scared… Ezra, you, you broke my heart."

Ezra's throat closed up as he listened to her voice crack. "I'm sorry, Aria. I'm so sorry, and I know that that sorry doesn't cut it, but I am. I'm so sorry. I would take it all back in a second –"

"I know you would," Aria told him. "But you still did it." She stopped before laughing slightly under her breath. "But you know what the worst part is? I…I miss you."

Ezra turned to her as his jaw dropped. He wasn't expecting that response at all.

"In New York, I stood outside that operation room, scared out of my mind that you wouldn't make it. I kept thinking that the last words I would've said to you are that I don't want to ever hear from you. I kept thinking that I wouldn't be able to be without you. I kept thinking that, if you died, you would have died thinking that _I_ hated _you_."

He turned and rested his hand on her knee. "Aria, I would not have thought that. What you said, I deserved it. I deserved everything, I deserved worse." The two sat in silence before Ezra smiled a little and whispered, "I miss you, too."

Aria took his hand and squeezed it lightly. "Ezra, I… I want to be with you again, but… I can't take the lies anymore."

"And, if you give me another chance, I won't lie, I promise," Ezra said. "I know I've used up all my chances, but if you could give me one more, one more chance to prove to you that I can be the guy you deserve, I won't screw it up."

She gave him a long, hard look before smirking, "Do I know all your ex-girlfriends?"

"What?" Ezra asked, slightly confused.

Aria sighed and readjusted on the couch. "All the big problems we've had on your end, it's been ex-girlfriends. Jackie, Maggie, Alison…"

"Besides Maggie, I had two girlfriends in high school and nothing ever went wrong with them. Then, as for college, it was… Alison… and Jackie. Then you. And I assure you, you are the most amazing woman who's ever been in my life. Aria, I love you."

She smiled and nodded. Aria sighed and questioned, "Who were the two girlfriends?"

Ezra scoffed and went into his story about his first two girlfriends. Aria smiled to herself often as he story told and was assured that the two exes would not do anything wrong.

After a few minutes, Ezra ended his story and asked, "What about you?"

"What about me?" Aria retorted, unwrapping another cough drop.

"Do you have any exes I don't know about?"

Aria clicked her tongue and bit her lip. "I had a boyfriend in seventh grade. He was one of Noel Kahn's best friend and Hanna basically made me go out with him. He was nice and he was my first kiss, actually. But, like all middle school relationships, we didn't work out." She paused and smiled as nostalgia hit her before shrugging. "There was a boy in Iceland, too, but he was nothing special. Then… you."

Ezra mentally counted in his mind before saying, "So… five?"

"Five what?" Aria asked, smiling slightly in confusion.

"Relationships," Ezra shrugged. "Or… am I missing one?"

Aria shook her head, "No, no, that's it. Oh, you could count Jason, too maybe. We kissed that one time."

"Thank you for the reminder," Ezra laughed dryly. "Oh, and if we're gonna be truthful, I know about you and Wesley."

Aria's jaw dropped and she decided to play dumb. "What? What do you, what do you mean?"

"CeCe told me," Ezra shrugged.

"Um, well, you were gone and I was confused and he was nice and –"

"Aria," Ezra cut her off, "I don't care. I was mad at first, but I don't think I have a lot of room to judge… Take your medicine, okay? Then, try and get some sleep."

She nodded as he grabbed her bottle of water and medication. Aria took the medicine before sighing and nudging Ezra. "I'm gonna go to my room to sleep. This couch is starting to bother me and that puke smell is awful."

Ezra chuckled and pointed at it, "I'll finish cleaning it, don't worry."

Aria smiled and got up, grabbing the blankets and her pillow before shuffling upstairs. Once she was on the middle of the staircase, she turned and smiled at Ezra. She knew they were gonna take a lot of work, but after everything he had been doing for her… between the vomit scrubbing and the getting shot, she knew he was still the one. "Ezra, will you come with me?"

He glanced up at her, slightly shocked. However, he nodded, smiling a little and getting up. As they walked to her room, he realized he had only ever been inside of it once.

Aria smiled as she led him inside. "It's weird… we've been together for so long, but you've only been in here once."

"Yeah," Ezra agreed, glancing at the books and knick knacks; he hadn't really gotten the chance to look around. "It's how I pictured it." She smirked at the idea of Ezra picturing her room as she laid down on her bed. Ezra turned slightly before noticing a framed picture of them together, smiling broadly at the camera. It was the same picture he had found broken into pieces in the middle of his living room after he came home from pulling the plug on his book.

Aria followed his gaze to the picture and sighed, "Oh… I didn't want to get rid of it."

"You need to remind me to get a new frame," Ezra muttered.

She furrowed her brow, wondering why he needed a new frame, but then remembered that she was the one to break it. She blushed and rolled her eyes. "I can buy you a new poster if you want."

"Aria, I was only kidding," he laughed softly.

After a pregnant pause, Aria patted the bed beside her. "Will you read to me?"

Ezra smiled and thought of how many times he must have read her stories to get her to sleep. Walking over to the bookshelf, he picked out _Gone With the Wind_. He laid down beside her and wrapped an arm around her as she draped her leg over his. Before he started reading, he kissed her forehead and whispered, "I've missed this."

"Me too," she replied timidly, nestling her head in the crook of his neck. "Sorry if I get you sick."

"I don't care," Ezra told her, before opening the book and starting to read. He read a few pages before glancing down at Aria to find her drooling on his shirt. He chuckled softy and kissed her head, letting her get some sleep.

As she held on to him in her sleep, Ezra treasured the moment. He had spent the last two weeks alone in bed and having Aria curl up beside him was an indescribable feeling. He didn't think he'd ever get this back and now that he had, he would be damned if he screwed it up again.

XXXX

The next morning, Aria woke up to a cold left side of the bed. She remembered Ezra reading to her and sleeping beside her and was a little upset that he'd leave without saying anything.

As she sat up, she noticed that she felt a little better, even though she still had a killer sore throat.

Shortly after, Aria walked downstairs, beyond ready to eat something now that she could stomach it. But once she got down to the kitchen, she smiled as she saw Ezra cooking. "You're still here."

"Yeah," Ezra answered, grinning over at her. "I wanted to make you breakfast. But, I don't know where you keep everything, so I just made eggs. Are you okay? I mean, how are you feeling?"

"Better," Aria replied, looking at the food longingly. "Did you get any sleep?"

Truthfully, he had gotten the best night of sleep in weeks thanks to Aria being beside him. All he said, though, was, "Yeah, did you?"

"I did. It was the first night in a while I didn't have any nightmares."

Ezra's smile faded as he thought about how everything flipped upside down for her. "If you ever want to talk about everything, I'm here for you."

"I know," Aria smiled a little. "It's just hard to talk about to anyone."

The conversation faded before Aria wrapped her arms around his waist, extremely happy that she had Ezra back. Despite everything, she loved him with all her heart and she loved being with him. "How long have you been up?"

He shrugged before turning and facing her. "A couple of hours."

Aria's jaw dropped a little. "You could've woken me up."

"No, I was fine. I cleaned the living room, too, by the way."

She smiled up at him and mumbled, "You didn't have to do that. You didn't have to do any of this, Ezra."

"But I wanted to," Ezra responded. "There is no one's vomit I'd rather clean up than yours."

Aria giggled, "That should be a hallmark card."

Ezra snickered at the remark before looking down into her eyes and whispered slowly, "Aria, I love you."

Aria reached for his hand before leaning up and placing a tentative kiss on his cheek. When she pulled away, she replied, "I love you, too. And, I'm glad we're working through this."

"I am too," Ezra grinned. He wanted nothing more than to be with Aria and now that she gave him another chance, he was ready to put all of his work into it. "I really am."

* * *

**(A/N:) Hope you enjoyed this! Don't forget to review!**


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